‘How I made it to final of MasterChef: The Professionals’ says Leeds chef Matt Healy

A Leeds chef who has made it to the final round of a TV cookery programme served up Yorkshire on a plate last night with a feast of rhubarb.

Matt Healy, 33, will compete in the series finale of MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC Two this evening after wowing judges with five courses of rhubarb – including sorbet and chutney – garnished with the white rose of Yorkshire.

He said: “It’s great to represent Yorkshire and Leeds especially. I’m a proud Yorkshireman and if I can shine a light on our great city then that is incredible.

“People seem to recognise me a bit – maybe it’s the beard or that I’m a bit of a giant – and wish me well in the competition, which is great.”

In the second part of the programme the contestants took over the running of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Oslo, Norway. On Tuesday’s programme, the first of the finals, Matt and the other competitors cooked for 28 heavyweights of the restaurant industry, including Michelin-starred chefs Michael Caines, Sat Baines, Nieves Barragan Mohacho and Claude Bosi.

Matt, who now lives in Sowerby Bridge, said: “To cook for some of my heroes was amazing. When I started my aim was not to get knocked out at the first round so to reach the final is phenomenal.”

Matt studied at the Thomas Danby Catering College in Leeds and works as a development chef for catering firm Rational.